Quick & Easy

13 Air Fryer Chicken Recipes The Whole Family Will Love

Are ovens...obsolete?

by Ashley Jones

A pound of chicken is such a refrigerator staple, and that’s especially true in a house with little kids. (The big ones also go bananas for some chicken tenders, just FYI.) So, having plenty of air fryer chicken recipes on hand that everyone can enjoy is essential when you’re trying to decide what to feed your family. If you’re not making them all the time already, you have to try these air fryer dinners — they’re easy, satisfying, and make very few dirty dishes.

The biggest plus side to making chicken in your air fryer is that it takes a lot less time than cooking it in the oven. There’s no preheating involved and cook times are usually shorter for most recipes. For example, it takes at least an hour, if not two, to roast a chicken in the oven, depending on the size of the bird. In an air fryer, it can be ready in about half an hour.

You can even pop chicken tenders into the air fryer for a homemade kid’s meal that’s ready in less time than you’d need to grab takeout. Even if you’re just making some chicken nuggets with a side of freezer fries, it’s quicker — and often easier — than grabbing fast food. Let’s face it, by the time you load up the kids, get in the car, wait in line at a drive-through, and make it back home, more than half an hour has gone by and everyone is cranky. Instead, pop ‘em in the air fryer and have a dance party while your chicken crisps right up.

Need some inspiration? This list has wings and thighs, of course, but also chicken tacos, meatballs, and more.

1Air fryer chicken breasts

Let’s start with something super simple, but oh so satisfying: a juicy chicken breast recipe that cooks up right in your air fryer about 20 minutes, courtesy of Pinch of Yum. Slice it up and serve with veggies, let your kids slather it with ketchup, or even add it to a tortilla for a quick taco — you really can’t go wrong.

2Air fryer whole chicken

I love spending a whole day preparing and roasting a chicken on the weekends, but what I love even more is getting pretty much that same exact meal made in half an hour, especially on a busy weeknight, thanks to this recipe from A Spicy Perspective. With crispy skin on the outside and juicy meat on the inside, you can barely tell the difference between this method and a slow-roasted Sunday bird.

3Crispy parmesan air fryer chicken strips

While chicken in any form can be a crowd-pleaser, the humble chicken strip is often the one food you can count on your kids actually eating. Even the pickiest toddlers would be remiss to turn their nose up at these crispy parmesan air fryer chicken strips from Foodie Crush. The panko-and-parm breading combo guarantees a crunchy exterior, while the air fryer works to keep the tenders, well, tender. Serve with an array of dipping sauces for a dinner that’s sure to delight everyone at the table.

4Firecracker air fryer chicken meatballs

Whether you’re hosting a party and need some appetizers, need a quick bite to serve on game day, or just want to give your family something snazzy for dinner, these firecracker air fryer chicken meatballs from Averie Cooks are the way to go. The seasoned chicken meatballs crisp up right in the air fryer and are then coated in a tangy sauce made with brown sugar, hot sauce, soy sauce, and a few spices to give them a kick.

5Crispy air fryer salt & pepper chicken wings

Chicken wings are basically the perfect food to make in the air fryer — especially if you prefer a crispy wing. The next time you have a hankering, take a page from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs and ditch the hot oil in favor of your air fryer. This recipe for salt and pepper wings is a fantastic choice if your looking for something super simple and classic to serve with a variety of fun sauces.

6Air fryer fried chicken

If you are deathly afraid of third-degree burns and setting your kitchen on fire (same), opting for an air fryer fried chicken recipe like this one from Budget Bytes might be the only way you can ever hope to enjoy a homemade batch of crispy fried chicken. This recipe works with any type of chicken (thighs, wings, or breasts). You batter it with buttermilk to create tenderness and corn starch to get a nice golden brown color.

7Air fryer chicken katsu

As this recipe from I Am A Food Blog explains, katsu is a Japanese term that refers to a cutlet of meat that’s been panko-crusted. The breading on the chicken cutlet is nice and light, so it gets super crisp in the air fryer. Air fryer chicken katsu is perfect for rice bowls, paired with cabbage, or drizzled with the tangy sosu sauce (a take on Worcestershire) included in this recipe.

8Air fryer Buffalo wings

Make serving food for your next event an absolute cinch with this air fryer buffalo wing recipe from Family Fresh Meals. The wings are tossed with a mixture of butter and Buffalo sauce once they’ve been cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Serve them with plenty of ranch or blue cheese (or both!) for dipping alongside some veggie sticks.

9Air fryer hot honey chicken

Hot honey having a moment right now, and for good reason. If you’ve yet to try it in your recipe repertoire, consider this air fryer hot honey chicken recipe from Averie Cooks your starting point. If you’re already a hot honey-lover, put this recipe at the top of your to-make list. Serve this sweet heat main dish with some slaw, a salad, or any of your family’s favorite sides.

10Crispy chicken taquitos

Taquitos are basically crispy rolled tacos that you can dip, and your air fryer is the perfect tool them. This taquito recipe from A Cozy Kitchen is filled with stewed chicken marinated in rich spices. Once rolled the taquitos are cooked in the air fryer and topped with an avocado crema (aka guacamole and sour cream). If you don’t have time to make everything from scratch at the same time, this is also a great recipe to try with leftover shredded chicken or a cooked rotisserie chicken you grab from the grocery store.

11Air fryer Vietnamese chicken wings

Once you make a batch of chicken wings in your air fryer, you’ll be hooked — and on the hunt for every wing recipe you can find. From I Am A Food Blog, these air fryer Vietnamese chicken wings are a truly tasty treat for the whole family. They’re made with a spice mixture that includes white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, plus a bit of sugar for sweetness, and a green onion dipping sauce that you’re going to obsess over.

12Air fryer ranch chicken

A spin on classic chicken tenders, this air fryer ranch chicken recipe from Family Fresh Meals makes a mouth-watering batch of chicken strips that your entire family will love. Tenderloins are marinated in buttermilk and then tossed in a mixture of panko and dry ranch seasoning before going into the air fryer for about 20 minutes total, flipping once to get an even crisp.

13Air fryer chicken tacos

Did you know that you can make homemade crunchy taco shells right in your air fryer? They’re honestly so easy. This recipe for air fryer chicken tacos from I Am A Food Blog shows you step-by-step how to achieve a perfectly crispy taco shell. These are filled with air-fried chicken thighs and an array of tasty toppings like shredded cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and onion.

So, the next time you need to use up your stash of chicken breasts before freezer burn sets in, or you just want a crowd-pleasing meal that you can feel good about serving, grab your air fryer and let it do all the work. These air fryer chicken recipes are sure to be a hit.